1. LEWISTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
Finding birth records
LEWISTON PUBLIC LIBRARY

2. Birth records are an integral part of our family history puzzle
Birth records are an integral part of our family history puzzle. In the United States births were mostly recorded in church registers until the mid to late 1800’s when vital statistics, such as births, marriages and deaths were officially collected. New England states started recording births on the town level starting as early as the first residents of the town.
Marriage records were generally the first vital records to be collected. Many towns began keeping marriage records at their inception. Each state eventually developed their own laws and their own systems.

3. The earliest birth records were kept by the state of Massachusetts in The latest state to officially require recording births was Georgia in However, you may still find birth records locally even before these years.

4. Places to Search for Birth Records
Family Records (including family bibles)
Birth records (city, village, town and county)
Death and marriage records may contain birth information
Census records give ages and sometimes month and year of birth
Church records, religious records (baptisms, etc.)
Obituaries
Cemetery records and tombstones
Newspapers
Naturalization Records and Passports
Native American Enrollment Records

5. Birth Records in New York State
In New York state birth records were first officially recorded in 1880.
In the early years, however, not all births were recorded.
In New York state birth certificates are made available to the public after 75 years.
NYS does NOT have birth records for Albany, Buffalo or Yonkers before 1914.

6. The NYS Birth Index is available on microfiche at the following ten repositories:
New York State Archives, Albany, Albany County
Broome County Public Library, Binghamton, Broome County
Buffalo & Erie County Public Library, Buffalo, Erie County
Steele Memorial Library, Elmira, Chemung County
Crandall Public Library, Glens Falls, Warren County
National Archives—Northeast Region, New York, New York County (Manhattan)
Patchogue-Medford Library, Patchogue, Suffolk County
Rochester Public Library, Rochester, Monroe County
Onondaga County Public Library, Syracuse, Onondaga County
Flower Memorial Library, Watertown, Jefferson County
Utica Public Library, Utica, Oneida County

7. Ordering Birth Records through the NYS Department of Health
Website:
The birth must have been on file for 75 years unless a family relationship can be proven.
Ordering a genealogy copy
Mail your completed application to:
New York State Department of Health Vital Records Section Genealogy Unit P.O. Box 2602 Albany, NY
Could take about 8 months

9. Online Help with Birth Records
Summary of births in the United States—detailed summary of birth records for each state
New York State application for birth records

10. Finding Birth Records in Niagara Falls and Lewiston area
Niagara Falls City Clerk (1880-present)
Lewiston Town Clerk (1880-present)
**New York State laws apply**